Rubber Shingle

A rubber shingle is a roofing unit made mainly from recycled rubber, commonly ground vehicle tyres, mixed with binders, fillers and pigments and moulded to look like slate or wood shakes. Some products use EPDM rubber or blends of rubber and plastic. They form part of the wider family of synthetic or composite roofing.

Characteristics

• Recycled content: rubber shingles give a use to scrap tyres, which are a large waste stream. Manufacturers often market their recycled content as an environmental benefit.
• Durability: shake-style rubber shingles are described as resistant to rot, curling and cracking, and as not absorbing moisture.
• Impact: rubber's flexibility lets it absorb hail impacts, and many products are rated UL 2218 Class 4.
• Weight: light compared with stone or tile, in the same general range as other synthetic slates, about 200-350 lb per square (10-17 kg/m²).

Concerns

• Fire: rubber is combustible; fire ratings depend on the product and on underlayment, and buyers in wildfire-prone regions should check the assembly rating.
• Appearance: colours can fade with UV exposure, and some products look less convincing close up than natural materials.
• Track record: many products are relatively new, so long-term performance data are limited.

Installation

Rubber shingles are generally nailed to a solid deck with corrosion-resistant nails in the same way as synthetic slate, following the manufacturer's spacing to allow for thermal movement. Many can be cut with a utility knife.

Related products

Rubber is also used in flat sheet form as EPDM membranes for low-slope roofs; these are a different product from rubber shingles for pitched roofs.